Grossmont Union trustee accused of leaking confidential information

Good Morning, I’m Katie Hyson in for Lawrence K Jackson…. it’s Thursday, October 8th.>>>>

A LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD WILL DECIDE IF IT WILL CENSURE ONE OF ITS MEMBERS FOR LEAKING CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION.More on that next. But first... the headlines….#######

THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS THIS WEEK APPROVED THE LATEST EFFORT TO LIMIT PUBLIC COMMENT.

THE NEW RULES ALLOW MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO ONLY SPEAK TO THREE AGENDA ITEMS PER COUNTY MEETING.

BOARD CHAIR TERRA LAWSON-REMER WROTE THE RULES. HER OFFICE FOUND FIVE SPEAKERS GAVE MORE THAN A THIRD OF ALL PUBLIC COMMENTS THIS YEAR.

SUPERVISORS SAID COMMENTS ARE OFTEN OFF-TOPIC AND BIGOTED.

SUPERVISOR JIM DESMOND CAST THE ONLY NO VOTE ON THE NEW LIMIT...SAYING IT'S PEOPLE’S RIGHT TO COME AND SPEAK.

SUPERVISORS CAN RELAX THE RULES ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS.

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THE SUPERVISORS ALSO APPROVED A PLAN TO IDENTIFY E-BIKE DANGER ZONES.

THEY ARE CALLING IT A REGIONAL E-BIKE INJURY WARNING SYSTEM.

IT WILL SHOW WHERE THESE INJURIES ARE HAPPENING AND WHO IS BEING HURT.

THE COUNTY SAYS SIMILAR EFFORTS IN OTHER AREAS HAVE HELPED GUIDE SAFETY MEASURES.

PEDIATRIC E-BIKE TRAUMA CASES AT RADY’S CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL ROSE FROM THREE IN 20-21 TO MORE THAN 260 IN 20-25.

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AN EXTREME HEAT WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR COASTS AND VALLEYS THROUGH TONIGHT.

FORECASTERS EXPECT TEMPERATURES TO EASE INTO THE MID-80S AT THE COAST BY MID-FRIDAY.

THE COOLING SHOULD SPREAD INLAND BY SATURDAY. BUT HIGHS WILL LIKELY REMAIN AROUND 5 DEGREES ABOVE AVERAGE.

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From KPBS, you’re listening to San Diego News Now.Stay with me for more of the local news you need.

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THE GROSSMONT UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD WILL DECIDE TONIGHT WHETHER TO CENSURE ONE OF ITS MEMBERS.

REPORTER JACOB AERE SAYS TRUSTEE JIM KELLY ALLEGEDLY DISCLOSED CONFIDENTIAL AND ATTORNEY-CLIENT INFORMATION TO OUTSIDE PARTIES.

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Among other things, the censure resolution alleges Kelly engaged in an email exchange with a former California legislator in an attempt to influence district policy.

Specifically, it says Kelly sought to have the former legislator contact former California Republican Party chair Jim Brulte .…who is the spouse of Grossmont Union High Superintendent Kirsten Vital Brulte.

Superintendent Brulte did not agree to an interview, but her office issued the following statement:

“... the Superintendent’s standard has always been clear: the District must operate in accordance with federal and state law, District policies, Board bylaws, and established procedures.”

Stephanie Macecca is president of the district’s teachers union. She says she agrees with the proposed action.

“Teachers are trusted to hold that private information, trustees should be held to that exact same standard.”

Kelly is up for re-election this November. He did not respond to a KPBS request for comment. Jacob Aere, KPBS News.

TONIGHT’S MEETING WILL BEGIN AT 6 P.M. IN THE GROSSMONT HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM.

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THE U-S-S ABRAHAM LINCOLN IS RETURNING TO SAN DIEGO TODAY AFTER MORE THAN 300 DAYS AT SEA.

CREWS WERE ORIGINALLY EXPECTED TO BE DEPLOYED TO THE MIDDLE EAST FOR JUST ABOUT SEVEN MONTHS.

ANCHOR DEBBIE CRUZ SPOKE WITH MILITARY AND VETERAN-AFFAIRS REPORTER ANDREW DYER AHEAD OF THE HOMECOMING.

A WARNING, THIS CONVERSATION MENTIONS SUICIDE.

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What makes this homecoming so notable compared to other returns from deployment?

Well, it's the extraordinary length of the deployment. Um the Lincoln's been gone more than 10 months. They spent more than 260 days, consecutive days at sea without hitting a port. They were involved in strikes against Iran from day one because of some issues with Iran attacking the main US supply base in the Middle East. They had a lot of unexpected supply shortages.

So, you have a lot of things compounded on on the crew of that ship there.

What have you been hearing about other conditions?

We first kind of heard about the food situation way back in April. And we learned later that because of the the damage to that that base in Bahrain, that supply ships had to travel, you know, thousands of miles from another base. And so, it really limited how much they could get. So, that just makes things that much harder on sailors.

The reports of, you know, low morale and um of course a few alleged attempt suicides.

CNN first reported and you confirmed that the number of suicide attempts on board the Lincoln were actually consistent with the Navy's average numbers. Can you talk about that?

It's an unfortunate fact that sailors some sometimes on deployments, there are um people who take their own lives um for myriad reasons. It's not always just the deployment or the length of deployment. You know, they're like any other population of people. They have their own set of of of stressors in their lives.

One thing that just makes folks concerned is that we all know the context of the stressors on this crew where you have this compounded additional factors of, you know, not hitting port, you're working seven days a week, you're involved in um combat operations, which means a very high operation tempo.

And it's just it really does just wear on the crew without giving them any any time away, any time off.

Having been in the Navy yourself, what is it like for sailors settling back into their normal routines after being away for so long?

I I can imagine on board right now just the anticipation among the crew of coming home. It's it's obviously very exciting for everybody involved. B ut then comes the next day and the next day and the next week, and it can be pretty challenging.

It is an adjustment because you the sailor has been gone, and while they're gone, the the family is living their own lives and and establishing different routines, you know, without the sailor there. And so, now you throw this person other person back into the mix. The routines change, and you really have to kind of reintegrate into your own family life. So, here's the regional director of the Cohen Military Family Clinic. Her name is Shana Ball, and she talked about this.

For some people, they slide back into their family life, and they have a supportive community, whether that's, you know, church or whatever other things that they had, they pick right back up. And others have a more challenging time. Um there may be increased substance

use, alcohol, isolation, depression.

What should people keep in mind as the Lincoln returns to San Diego?

I think folks should keep in mind that while for us, you know, especially in the media and the general public, you know, this is a new story. This is about whether or not the president should be conducting this war the way that he is, whether or not the Secretary of Defense is doing all he can. But for these sailors, you know, this is their not just their job, it's part of their identity as being a sailor, and they take a lot of pride in their work.

And so, whether people agree with this war or whatever, you know, these folks are proud of the the work they've done. They've been asked to do something very difficult, and

Right.

they've done it. So, I would just I think that's one thing to keep in mind is that these these are people

WE’LL BRING YOU MORE COVERAGE OF THE U-S-S LINCOLN’S RETURN IN THE DAYS AHEAD.

IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW NEEDS HELP, CONTACT THE SUICIDE & CRISIS LIFELINE BY CALLING OR TEXTING 9-8-8.

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THERE'S A HOTLY CONTESTED RACE PLAYING OUT FOR SAN DIEGO CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 2.

METRO REPORTER ANDREW BOWEN SAYS VOTERS WILL CHOOSE BETWEEN A DEMOCRAT AND AN EX-REPUBLICAN.

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AB: District 2 includes Clairemont, Midway, Ocean Beach and Point Loma. It's an open seat, and the candidate who came first in the primary is Richard Bailey. Bailey did not respond to KPBS' interview request… but he's all over Instagram.

RB: "I climbed Mount Everest, completed an Iron Man and was the youngest mayor in the history of Coronado. Now I'm running to represent you on the San Diego City Council."

AB: Bailey left the Republican Party in February to become an independent. But he's kept his conservatism, and says San Diego can save money by outsourcing services to the private sector.

RB: "So does San Diego have a revenue problem? No, it has a spending and management problem."

AB: Bailey's opponent is Nicole Crosby. She's a deputy city attorney and past president of the Clairemont Town Council. She says Bailey wants to go back to a time when San Diego couldn't hire employees because it paid too little.

NC: "And we know that city workers provide a better service and a cheaper cost for our taxpayers. So when we're rebuilding our infrastructure, we need to recognize what decimated that to begin with. And we do not want to re-DOGE the city because that is not the answer."

AB: Crosby is a Democrat, and District 2 has favored Democrats in recent elections. But Bailey has lots of money to spend on reaching voters. Andrew Bowen, KPBS news.

FOR MORE ELECTION COVERAGE VISIT KPBS DOT ORG SLASH VOTER HUB

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THE KEY TO A CLEANER ATMOSPHERE MAY BE RIGHT UNDER OUR FEET.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY REPORTER CARLY KAY SAYS SCIENTISTS ARE USING PLANT POWER AND A-I TO TRY TO ACCESS IT.

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PLANTS REMOVE CARBON FROM THE ATMOSPHERE. THEY ABSORB IT THROUGH THEIR LEAVES AND STORE IT IN THEIR ROOTS.

SALK INSTITUTE IS STUDYING WAYS TO PRODUCE SOYBEANS WITH DEEPER ROOTS THAT CAN STORE MORE CARBON.

SALK SCIENTIST WOLFGANG BUSCH SAYS THE ENHANCED SOYBEANS COULD REMOVE MORE THAN A GIGATON OF CARBON FROM THE ATMOSPHERE EACH YEAR.

A GIGATON OF CARBON DIOXIDE REMOVAL WOULD BASICALLY BE ALL CARS THAT HAVE A COMBUSTION ENGINE IN THE UNITED STATES BEING REPLACED BY NON EMITTING CARS,

BUSCH MAKES SMALL GENETIC TWEAKS TO CREATE THE SOYBEANS.

TESTING THEM IN THE LAB TAKES MORE THAN A YEAR.

HE SAYS A NEW GRANT WILL HELP SCIENTISTS DEVELOP AN A-I TOOL THAT WILL SPEED UP THAT PROCESS.

ONLY BECAUSE WE HAVE THE ABILITY NOW WITH THIS NEW FUNDING, THAT SHORTENS THIS ONE AND HALF YEARS TO THREE WEEKS.

THE BEZOS EARTH FUND GAVE SALK 18 MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE PROJECT.

BUSCH HOPES THE FINAL VERSION OF THE A-I TOOL WILL BE READY BY 2028. CARLY KAY, KPBS NEWS.

That’s it for the podcast today. As always you can find more San Diego news online at KPBS dot org. I’m Katie Hyson in for Lawrence K. Jackson. FOR YOUR NEXT LISTEN, CHECK OUT THE KPBS MIDDAY EDITION PODCAST THIS AFTERNOON FOR THEIR WEEKLY ARTS AND CULTURE SHOW. Thanks for listening and have a great day.